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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Western District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Rochester Woman Sentenced for Aiding in the Escape of an Inmate

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Lakesia Binion, 34, of Rochester, N.Y., who was convicted of making material false statements, was sentenced to 10 months of home confinement to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer M. Noto, who handled the case, stated that the defendant and others were involved in the escape of federal inmate Joseph Mitchell. Mitchell, along with Eddie R. Palmer, escaped from the Monroe County Jail during the evening of March 31, 2011, by sawing through two of the jail’s bars and jumping out of the facility’s second story window. Mitchell and Palmer were apprehended on April 8, 2011, when they were found hiding in a camping trailer located on a residential property in Sodus, N.Y.

During the ensuing investigation, officers learned that Binion arranged for a lawyer to deliver a bible, a cellular telephone and charger to Mitchell while Mitchell was in jail awaiting trial on a pending narcotics indictment. The bible contained saw blades hidden inside. After Mitchell escaped, the defendant also picked up Mitchell and drove him and fellow escapee Palmer to Sodus. The United States Marshall Service spoke with Binion on April 2, 2011 during the escape investigation and the defendant denied having any knowledge of the escape and denied having any contact with Mitchell after their last visit at the Monroe County Jail.

Joseph Mitchell pleaded guilty to escape and drug and gun charges and will be sentenced on June 26, 2013. Eddie Palmer pleaded guilty to assisting in the escape and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2013. Mathias Smith was sentenced to two years probation for his role in the escape. The lawyer, Rudolph Lepore, was convicted on a state charge of Promoting Prison Contraband and sentenced to five years probation.

“This case came to a speedy and successful conclusion thanks to the tremendous cooperation between all levels of law enforcement," said U.S. Attorney Hochul. "While jail escapes are extremely rare, this case demonstrates that they inevitably lead to capture and further convictions."

The conviction was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Deputies of the United States Marshal's Service, under the direction of Charles Salina and Investigators of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn.